Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said Ricky Rubio will not be in the starting lineup for his season debut Saturday night, Dec. 15, against the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center.

Also, Kevin Love will not play because of flu-like symptoms.

Adelman confirmed that Rubio, out for nine months recovering from a major knee injury, will be limited to 16 to 18 minutes.

“It’s really difficult to start someone and tell them you’re only going to play 18 minutes,” Adelman said before Saturday’s game. “That’s the hardest thing if you want to get a good run in. Bringing him off the bench is the best thing to do because you have timeouts in the first quarter and you have the start of the second quarter. He’ll be able to play and get a little bit of rest and play his eight to nine minutes straight.”

Luke Ridnour and rookie Alexey Shved will be the Timberwolves’ starting guards. Rubio will be paired off the bench with J.J. Barea.

Rubio, who started 31 games last season, is making his highly anticipated debut after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament in his left knee on March 9. He underwent surgery on March 21 in Vail, Colo.

When Adelman talked with reporters about Rubio, he was uncertain of Love’s status for Saturday night’s game. Love was listed as probable after suffering a bruised right thumb in the final minute of the Wolves’ 113-102 victory at New Orleans on Friday night, but the Wolves later said that Love was ill.

Dante Cunningham will start in his place.

Adelman said forward Josh Howard, who suffered a hyperextended right knee Friday night, will not play Saturday.

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